Stick adapted for self-defense.



No. 723,260. PATENTED MAE.'24, 190s,

W. FREE.

. STICK ADAPTED FOR sELE DEFENSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902.

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PATENTEIJ MAR. 2.4, 1903.

W. FREE. STICK ADAPTED FOR SELF DEFENSE.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1902.

No. 723,260. I

10 MODEL f I Mil/way:

UNITE STATES t PATE T OFFICE.

WILI-IELM FREH, or VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

STlCK 'ADAPTE D, FOR SELF-DEFENSE.

SPECIFICATION roaming part of Letters Patent No. 723,260, dated March24, 1903.

t Application filed August 21, 1902. Serial No. 120,566. {No mod l- Toall whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILHELM FREE, a subject of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at Vienna,,ijn the Empire of Austria- Hungary,have invented certain new and useful Improvements" in Sticks Adapted forSelf Defense; and-I do hereby declare the follow:

ing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchaswill enable others skilled in the art to whichlit appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention has for its object to enable a walking-sticker anumbrellato be more efiectuallyapplied as a means of self-defense. 5.

For this purpose a walking-stick or an umbrella (hereinafter referred toasthe stick) is according to this invention provided with a handleofspecial construction, which While suitable for its usualpurpose is alsoadapted in the event of an attack to serve as a rigid hand-guard, whichlike that of a sword or saber protects the hand while a blow is beingwarded off. The stick is, moreover, ac-

cording to this invention provided with a hilt, which normally iscontained within the stick,

- but which in the event of an attack may be caused to projecttherefro'ni'and to assume a suitable position for the handle to serve asa hand-guard, as already explained.

This invention is hereinafter described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate examples of apparatus inaccordance therewith. This fundamental idea can be put into practice in.many ways, and consequently the constructional forms shown upon theaccompanying drawingsare only to be regarded as examples of thedefensive stick as defined in the patent claims Figure 1 of the saiddrawings is a longitudinal view of the stick, mainly in section, andwith the hilt contained within the stick. Fig. 2 is a plan'of the' upperside of the handle thereof. Fig. 3 is a view-"corresponding to Fig. 1,but showingthe hilt drawn out, so that the stickfis available forself-defense. Figs.:-4, 5,-and-6 are views of details of the stickshowninFigs. l and 3. Figs. 7 and 8 show in longitudinal sectionmodifications in accordance with this invention; and Figs. 9 andlO showin longitudinal section and top plan, respectively, another modificationin accordance therewith. I

of the form shown, but which maybe of any I desired form and may in someinstances have but one arm. The hilt d, with which the stick isaccordingto this invention provided, while normally contained within the tube 1)and the handle 0, can when desired be released therefrom and firmly heldwhile extending beyond the handle 0. The stick is then adapted to beused in self-defense and may be held by thehilt (1, while the handle 0acts a guard or protection for the hand while warding ofii' hostileblows and thrusts. There is arranged in the tube b below the hilt (Z ahelical spring 6, which automatically causes the hilt to spring out whenreleased. In the upper part of one arm of the'handle a there is formed aslot f, which by means of a passage f communicates with a chamber g,which contains a spiral spring h, acting upon a bolt 2'. In the slot fis lodged a catch t which is secured to the upper side of the bolt '6 bymeans of a connecting piece 2'. By means of the catch 4?, thetop ofwhich is preferably roughened or fluted, the bolti can be pressed backagainst the action of the spring h in order to release the hilt d. Inthe hilt d there are formed two recesses It and 10 located exactly oneabove the other, and the bolt i is, by means of its spring it, caused toengage in one or other of these recesses, according to the position ofthe hilt. -When the hilt is in its normal position, the stick resemblesan ordinary walking-stick and is carried in the same manner. 1 In orderto admit of its being used as a means of defense, pressure is brought tobear'say with the thumb of the right hand- -upon the catch '5 inthedirection of the arrow in Fig. 1. By this means the bolt 41 is,against the action of its spring h, withdrawn from the recess The'hilt dbeing thus released, its end is by the action of the spring 6 caused toproject beyond the tube 1) and the handle 0, and the hilt is then drawnout by hand until its lower recess k is en gaged by the spring-bolt t.The hilt d is thus firmly secured above the guard c, and the stick isavailable for use as a means of defense, as shown in Fig. 3. In. asimilar manner by possibly while subject to an attack.

and provided with heads or catches.

pushing backthe catch 1' the hilt d may be returned to the tube 6. Inorder to prevent the hilt d from rotating within the tube 6, so that therecesses 7c, and k no longer fall exactly in alinement with the bolt 6,there may be formed in the handle d a groove cl, which engages eitherthe bolt 't' or a pin i Fig. 7, attached thereto. The rotation of thehilt d in the tube 1) can also be prevented by making the tube 1) andthe hilt (Z of non-circular cross-section-fas, for exam ple, of the ovalsection shown in Fig. 10.

The catch dmayinsomeinstances belodged in the under side of the guard orhandle 0, as

shown in Fig. 8, instead of in its upper side. In this case the slot fmust be cut to a sufficientlength ino in order to permit of the movementof i and 2' When, as is preferred, the guard or handle cis provided withtwo arms, there may in s9me instances be formed in each arm achamber g,containing a spring-bolt.

It would of course be practicable to provide in the upper end of thehiltd two recesses k and to withdraw each bolt from the correspondingrecess by means of a catch, such as already described, arranged eitherupon the upper or the underside of the handle 0. Such an arrangement is,however, liable to the objection that in order to eject the hilt d itwould be necessary to operate two catches In order to obviate thisdisadvantage, there is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 an arrangement in which,notwithstanding that two bolts are provided, one movement only isrequired in order to release the hilt d. In this arrangement only thelower recess is provided in duplicate, and when the stick is not neededfor self-defense one of the bolts '1) is pushed back into its chamber gagainst the action of its spring h, as shown on the left in Fig. 9,while the other bolt 2' is engaged in the recess is. When the hilt d isdrawn out, the bolts "6 and 1' both engage in the recesses 7: Both armsof the handle 0 thus cooperate to support and firmly hold the drawn-outhilt. When it is desired to return the hilt d to the tube 17, thebolts'i andt' must both of course be suitably released; but when thedangeris past there is plenty of time to do this. In Figs. 9 and 10there is shown by way of example a suitable arrangement for manipulatingthe bolts 1' and t. The chamhere 9, containing the springs h, are inthis case both closed on the upper side of the handie by means of plugs0', through which pass pins connected to the corresponding bolts Thebolt i (shown on the right in Fig. 9) is rigidly connected with a pin Z,terminating in a catch l; but the bolt 71 (shown on the left of Fig. 9)has formed therein, as shown, a recess or chamber, in which slides apiston connected to a pin 2". This means allows the pin 1 not to projectbeyond the handle 0 when the hilt cl is withinthe tube 6, while at thesame time lease of the hilt d and its return to the tube 1) may inpractice be considerably modified,

and consequently the scope of this invention is not to be regarded asrestricted to the precise arrangements herein set forth.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A walking-stick having means whereby it may be converted into aweapon of defense to be used like a sword, said stick comprising atubular part, a handle extending laterally in respect thereto, asupplemental part sliding in the tubular part and adapted to bewithdrawn to serve as a handle while the handle proper serves as theguard thereto and means for holding the supplemental handle in positionagainst movement in either direction when the said supplemental part isdrawn out for use of the device as a sword, substantially as described.7

2. A stick adapted for use as a means of self-defense, comprising incombination a main part having a tubular upper end portion; a handlefixed to the top of the main part and adapted to serve as a hand-guardwhen the stick is applied in self-defense; an adjustable part normallycontained within the said tubular portion and handle but adapted to bepartially withdrawn therefrom into a position in which it will besuitable to serve as a hilt; means for securing the said adjustable partin the said position; and a spring adapted, when the said adjustablepart is released, to eject the said adjustable part partially from thesaid tubular portion and handle.

3. A stick adapted for use as a means of self-defense, comprising incombination a main part having a tubular upper end portion; a handlefixed to the top of the main part and adapted to serve as a hand-guardwhen the stick is applied in self-defense; an adjustable partnormallycontained within the said tubular portion and handle but adapted to bepartially withdrawn therefrom into a position in which it will besuitable to serve as a hilt; and a spring-bolt adapted to engage in arecess in the said adjustable part so as to secure it in the saidposition.

4. The combination in a stick of a main part having a tubular upper endportion, an adjustable part or hilt adapted to be contained within thesaid tubular portion, and to be partially withdrawn therefrom, andprovided near its upper and lower ends with recesses; a handle securedto the said tubular portion and adapted to serve as a hand-guard; meansfor automatically engaging in the said recesses to hold the saidadjustable part in each of its two end positions; and a spring adapt-IIo' - having a tubular upper end portion, an adjustable part or hiltadapted to be contained Within the said tubular portion, and to bepartially withdrawn therefrom, and provided near its upper and lowerends with recesses; a handle secured to the said tubular portion andadapted to serve as a hand-guard; means for automatically engaging inthe said recesses to hold the said adjustable part in each u of its twoend positions; means located at the surface of the said handle fordisengaging the said adjustable part; and a spring adapted, when thesaid adjustable partis released, to eject the said adjustable partpartially from the said tubular portion and handle.

6. The combination in astick of a main part having a tubular upper endportion, an adj ustable part or hilt adapted to be contained within thesaid tubular portion, and to be partially withdrawn therefrom, andprovided near its upper and lower ends with recesses; a handle securedto the said tubular portion and adapted to serve as a hand-guard; meansfor automatically engaging in'the said recesses to hold the saidadjustable part in each of its two end positions; means for preventingthe said adjustable part from rotating in relation to the said tubularportion; and a l spring adapted, when the said adjustable part isreleased, to eject the said adjustable part partially from the saidtubular handle.

7. The combination in a stick of a main part portion and having atubular upper end portion, an adj ustable part or hilt adapted to becontained within the said tubular portion, and to be partially withdrawntherefrom, and provided near its upper and lower ends with recesses;

a handle secured to the said tubular portion and adapted to serve as ahand-guard; means ing the said adjustable part from rotating in relationto the said tubular portion; and a spring adapted, when the saidadjustable part is released, to eject the said adjustable part partiallyfrom the said tubular portion and handle.

8. The combination in a stick adapted for self-defense, of a main parthaving a tubular upper end portion; a two-armed handle secured to thesaid tubular portion and adapted to serve as a hand-guard; twospring-bolts located respectively in the two arms of the said handle; anadjustable part suitable to serve as a hilt and adapted to be containedwithin the said tubular portion and to be partially withdrawn therefrom,and furnished near its lower end with two recesses adapted to be enteredby the two said bolts respectively, and at its upper end with only onerecess adapted to be entered by one of the said bolts; means forinsuring that the said recesses will come opposite to the said boltsrespectively when the said adjustable part is moved longitudinally;releasing devices, one rigidly connected to the bolt for engaging in tworecesses and the other having a sliding connection with the other of thesaid bolts; and a spring adapted, when the said adjustable part isreleased, to eject the said adj ustable part partially from the saidtubular portion and handle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this th day ofAugust, 1902, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILHELM FREH.

Witnesses:

ALVESTO S. HOGUE, AUGUST FUGGER.

